Automatic brake.



A. E. NORRIS. AUTOMATIC BRAKE. APPLICATION 1 11.31) 1m 4, 1909.

Patentad 32111.6, {915.

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A. E. NORRIS.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE.

ABPLIOATION FILED MAY4, 1909.

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Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

'AIQMON E. NORRIS, 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

, v AUTOMATIC BRAKE.

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Specification of Letters Patent. l

Patented Jan. 5, 1015.

Application filed May 4., 1909. Serial No. 493,834.

To all euhom it may concern Be it known that I, 'ALMON E. NORRIS, a citlzen of the United States, residing at Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex and- State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automatic Brakes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts. I My invention relates to brakes being more particularly concerned with the provision ofan improved form of brake adapted especially, although not exclusively for use in connection with hoisting machinery.

This application asto the disclosures of Figures l-to 4:, inclusive, is a division of my prior application Ser. No. 404,068, filed November 27, 1907.

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying illustration of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a brake band and controlling levers, em-

\ bodying one form of my invention Fig. 2

isa sectional elevation of the same; Fig. 3:

shows a different position of the brake and controlling levers; Fig. 4 shows still another position of the controlling levers; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modified form of brake;

Fig. 6 is a plan view on a larger scale, partly broken away, showing the controlling levers for the band brake; Fig. 7 is a side elevation ofthe same; Fig. -8 is a section on an enlargedscale taken transversely through a portion of the brake band and brake drum;

and Fig. 9 is an illustrative diagram.

In connection with hoisting machinery it is frequently desirable to provide a brake for controlling the movements of a. rope-winding drum or other moving bodyfi s uh that, it will act to permit free rotation inone dithe direction in which its rotation is normally prevented. Herein I have provided a brake capable of being thus controlled and,

so-arranged, that, on the one hand, while permittmg free movement in the one direction, it may be tightly applied to prevent any movement whatever in the opposite direction or, on the other hand, may be frictionally applied to any desired'graduated or partial extent to control the rotation of the drum in that same direction at sired rate of speed.

Referring first to Fig. 9 I have 'there shown diagrammatically one way in whichithis may be accomplished. Thebrake drum or other body 1 has shown applied to itthe brake band 2. The latter is shown ashaving both ends attached at 3 to the link 4 which is pivotally secured at 5 to some fixed support. If the link is normally held at one side of the center line 6 which joins the axis of the drum with the pivotal point 5 of the link,

any dewhen the drum 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow 7, the friction of the band tends to draw the link toward a line-tangential to the upper'side ofthe drum and away from the center line 6, thereby causing the link 4 to tighten the brake band. This is due to the fact that, as the link swings away from the center line 6 it draws the point 30f the brake bandattachment farther away from the axis of the brake drum. The band is therefore tightened by reason of the movement of the link alone and without altering the relation of the attached ends of the band to the link or to each other.- On the other hand, if the drum is moved in the direction of the arrow marked 8 the link is automatie cally drawn by the band friction'toward the center line 6, and, the attachment 3 being brought nearer the axis of the drum,

the brake band is'thereby loosened) This principle l[ have applied to the construction of the automatic brakes herein shown.

To control or regulate the rotation of the drum in the direction of the arrow 7 it is only'necessary to provide means upon the link. or other holding member Temployed such that, in addition to the automatic maybe opened'orreleased for movement of the drum in the direction of the arrow 7 by an additional releasing movement of the thereon; H

Referring-now to the drawings and more band upon' the link or holding member rot movement thereof due to the link, the band particularly to the embodiment of my invention which I have submitted for illustrative purposes, in Figs. 1-4, I have there shown the same as applied to a rope-winding drum 9 or other driven member, the movement of which is to be controlled. A suitably. formed drum surface upon the drum is encircled by an appropriate brake band 1 comprising the upper and lower halves 10 and 11. These have adjacent ends fastened together bymeans of the bolt 12, opposite ends being secured to a brake controlling lever 13 at the points 14 and 15 respectively. The brake lever 13 comprises a pair of suitably shaped and spaced plates pivotally mounted. at 16 upon the link 17,"

the latter being also pivotally secured for swinging movement at 18 upon the fixed support 19. These connections are so selected with reference to the pivotal attachment 16 of the lever to the link and a center line passing'from'the pivotal center 18 of the link to the axis of .the trolley drum, that the band tends to open and release the'drum on either tipping movement of the lever above its pivotal attachment (see Fig. 4)

or on the mere downward tipping movement 4 of the link 17' (Fig. 3) which causes the latso Y which runs off the rope-winding drum to tel to approach the said center line and open the band. Assuming the rope or cable pull in the direction-of the arrow shown in Fig. 2, afrietional pull is placed upon the band, the resultant of which willlie approximately (according to the adjustment of the parts) in the direction of the link 17,

. as represented in Fig. 2, tending to draw winding of the rope.

I the link to theposition there shown. This position of the'lever and link draws the band about the drum preventing movement of the latter in "the direction of the arrow shown and, therefore, preventing the un- The tendency. of the band to open through movement of the lever 13 is resisted by the spring 20, which latter encircles the upright rod 21 betweenthe adjustable nuts 22and the stirrup 23, which is secured to the lever 13. The spring tends to press the outer end of the lever down toward the adjustable abutting nuts 24 and maintain the necessary tension on the band. The spring is adjustable by means of the nuts 22 so that varying resistance may be offered. to the pull of the band thereby regulating the limits of the load under .WhiCh' the brake will slip. The rod 21 is loosely secured to an underlying fixed support so that it may rockba'ck or forth to adapt itself to the movements of the lever 13. The link '17-has rigidly 'secured thereto a rearwardly extending arm 25 from which depends a bolt 26, the latter carrying at ts lower end adjustable nuts 27 between which and a stirrup 28 secured to the lever arm 13 there is a; relatively weak spring 29,

of sufiicient strength, however, to spread apart the outerends of the lever 13 and the arm 25, thereby to sustain the link and the attached ends of the band approximately in drum. This occurs automatically on the winding-in movement of the drum. When itis desired to release the band for the unwinding of the rope, the brake-operating rope or cable 30, which may be connected to any suitable controlling lever, is pulled upwardly, raising the outer end of the brake lever 13 against the spring 20, as represented in Fig. 4., and moving the points of attachment of the brake band relatively to each other and upon the link, as shown in Fig. 4:, so that the band is loosened and the drum-permitted to turn to unwind the rope. This construction of brake differs from automatic brakes with which I have heretoforebeen familiar, in that the drum is .quickly and effectively freed for rotation in ably grooved at 32 to receive the tapered friction blocks 33 preferably of wood or other suitable material, which latter are secured radially to the brake band 34 and are preferably cut to present cross grained friction faces to contact with the walls of the drum. To radiate the heat generated by friction when the load is being lowered, the drum is in the form of a rimmed wheel, the walls of the rimbeing provided at intervals with a number of heat-radiating veins35. These being located in close proximity to the inner walls of the groove 32 the heat generated by friction is eflectively radiated.

The lower half of the brake band is shown as attached at 36 to thebrake lever 37, and the upper half at 38 to the said brake lever, the point 38 serving also as the fulcruming attachment of the brake lever 37to the link or pivoted holding member 39. The end of the brake lever has also secured to it the depending weight 40 which maintains the necessary tension on the brake band. Such weight, however, may be lifted by the controlling rope 41, which, therefora'serves to release the brake and by movement of the brake. the releasing lever 37.

The link'39 is pivoted at 42 to the upright ears 43 of the preferably fixed bracket and to the latter there is also pivotally secured at 45 the uprightrod 46 which passes up through an opening 47 in the rearwardly extending arm48 carried by the link 39. Adjusting nuts'49 are provided forthe end of the rod 46, and between the latter and the arm 48 there is provided the coiled spring 50which serves to support the link 39 and the ends of the brake band in its normal position which approximates that shown infiig. 5, although for purposes of illustration the link is there shown as lying nearer a tangent tothedrum than the resultant pull by the band would draw it in practice. Means are also preferably provided, such as the adjusting screw 51, carried by. the arm 48 and engaging the base of the bracket 44, whereby the normal position of the link 39 maybe regulated at will. A

stirrup 52 secured to the brake lever and adapted to engage a projecting portion 53 on the bracket 44 serves to limit the downward movementof the weight and the brake lever.

It will be understood that, while I have herein disclosed for illustrative purposes one specific embodiment of my invention, the same is not limited to the details of the form, or construction, or relative arrangement of parts shown herein, but that extensive deviations ma be made from the details herein described without departingfrom the spirit thereof.

-I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a rotatable member of a brake therefor,'the latter comprising a brake band, a pivotally supported member to which the opposite ends of said band are secured and a second member on which said first member is pivoted, said first member having a releasing movement to efi'ect release of the band independently of the second member, and said second mem-, ber also having a releasing movement for releasing said band.

2. The combination with a rotatable member, of a brake, the latter comprising a brake band, a pivoted member to which the opposite ends of said band are attached, said member being constantly pressed. in a direction to tighten said band and prevent movement of said rotatable member in one direction, means for moving said member about its pivot to release the brake, and means providing for the movement of said pivoted member as a whole to permit the automatic release of the brake for movement of the rotatable member in the opposite direction. 3. A braking device comprising "a brake said holding'member to free the band for rotation of'said body tit band, a movable body to which the same is frictionally applied, a holding member to which the ends of said band are connected, said member being drawn toward a bandapplying position when the said body is moved in one direction and toward a bandreleasing position when moved in theopposite} direction, and means for moving the attached ends of theband relatively to each other and independently of the movement of in the first-named direction.

4; A' braking device comprising a brake band, a pivoted holding member to which its ends are connected, and means for mov-' ing the ends of the band relatively to each other independently of the movement of said holding member.

5. In a braking device, the combination with a brake band, of a'plvoted link, a member pivoted on said link to whichthe ends of said band are diiierentially secured, sa'id link having a movement toward a center line extending from the axis of the link to the axis of the braked member when the latter is turned in onedirection, but away from the said center line when the said .member is moved in the opposite direction,

said link serving to draw the points ofbrake band attachment farther from the axis of the brakedmember when moved in said last named direction.

6. In a braking device the combination with a brake band, of a pivoted link to which the ,ends of the band. are connected and adapted by its movement to draw the ends of the brake band toward or away from the axis of the braked member, yield- .8. In a braking device the combination with a brake band and a pivoted link to which the ends of the band are dilierentially connected, said link being movable from a -band releasing position to a band clasping position, without affecting the differential connection of the band.

9; In a braking device the combination withabrake band, of a pivoted link, a member pivotally mounted on said link to which the ends of the band are differentially connected, said link being movable from a band releasing position to, a band clasping position to draw the attached ends of the band farther away from the axis ofthe braked member.

10. The combination with a rotatable member of a brake member, a movable member to which the opposite ends of the brake movement of the rotatable member in the opposite direction.

11. The combination with a rotatable member of a brake member, a movable mem-v ber to Which the opposite ends of the brake member are differentially secured, means for moving the latter member to tighten the brake, and means providing for the reversal of movement of said rotatable member to shift the said movable member as a whole and thereby release the brake.

12. The combination with a rotatable member of a brake member, a pivoted lever to Which the opposite ends of the brake member are differentially attached, said member being constantly pressed in a direction to tighten said brake member and prevent movement of the rotatable member in one direction, means for moving the lever to release the brake, and a pivotally mounted link on which said lever is pivoted, said link providing for the movement of the lever as a Whole to permit the automatic release of the brake for movement of the rotatable member in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALMON E. NORRIS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS B. BooTH, ROBERT H. KAMMLER. 

